Alessio Sakara has said his tattoos hold his history and values. He connects the Roman imagery to Rome itself, its history and his identity as a fighter. The interviews explain the larger theme; photographs show how the eagle, lettering and classical figures fit across his body.
Rome and the tattoos
In a 2012 interview, Sakara said Roman history and the image of a legionary resonated with him. He described tattoos as a way to carry his history and attitude. He also recalled that people began calling him Legionarius while he was in Brazil, around the time Gladiator came out. He embraced the nickname and was reading historical novels.
In a 2016 interview, he traced his love of Rome to books and history passed down to him. He said he tattooed himself in honor of Rome and the Romans. The repeated Roman references come from a connection he has explained himself, rather than an interpretation based only on photographs.
The chest eagle and Latin
A large eagle spreads across Sakara’s chest, alongside other classical imagery and lettering. A 2010 report also identified a centurion helmet there. The pieces sit close together, forming a dense composition.
Sakara translated usque ad finem as “until the end” and also spoke about hic et nunc, “here and now.” He hasn’t given a detailed explanation for each placement, so the words can be reported without building a wider philosophy around them. The translations are his own account.
SPQR and arm ink
The 2010 report identified a legionary on Sakara’s forearm and SPQR on his arm. The letters abbreviate Senatus Populusque Romanus, usually translated as “the Senate and People of Rome.” The arm tattoos continue the Roman theme seen on his chest, though the photographs don’t make every small design readable.
The Legionarius back piece
Sakara shared a view of the back piece in 2015 and said its final section had been completed inside “Roma.” Large Legionarius lettering runs across the upper back, with a Roman sword and other classical details below.
He has also described the design as “Legionarius, Gladius and Empire of Rome.” Gladius means sword. The words and overall composition are documented; the source doesn’t explain every smaller shaded detail. The back has its own focal point, distinct from the chest eagle.
A body-wide plan
In the 2010 report, Sakara said his tattoo artist had planned the body as a whole and that he was completing the work piece by piece. The report said only a few small spaces remained at the time. His 2015 note about finishing one section in Rome also shows that the work happened over time, not in a single sitting.
The photographs come from different years and settings, so each shows a different part of the layout. Their shared Roman imagery connects the pieces, even as the individual designs were added in stages.
What Sakara says
Sakara has repeatedly tied his tattoos to Rome, Roman history and his life as a fighter. He has also named values such as honor and persistence. Not every visible figure or mark has a public explanation; photographs can show where the ink sits, but only Sakara’s comments establish the meanings he has shared.
Sakara discusses his life and work in the video below.
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